Chance at Heisman lured Yeldon to Alabama (Bean column)

Daphne running back T.J. Yeldon is Alabama's 2011 Mr. Football. Yeldon had been committed to Auburn before switching to Alabama, a move he attributed to the Crimson Tide's recent history of Heisman Trophy finalists. (Press-Register/John David Mercer)

MONTGOMERY -- T.J. Yeldon doesn't talk much. Like those old E.F. Hutton ads, when he talks, people listen.

The Daphne running back talked Wednesday after being named Mr. Football -- perhaps the last time he'll speak for the next year or so, considering Nick Saban's media blackout for Alabama freshmen -- and shed light on why he switched his commitment from Auburn to the Crimson Tide.

The story of Yeldon's recruitment has been cussed and discussed for weeks. He committed to Auburn last summer as the Tigers enjoyed their national championship afterglow, but Alabama never gave up on landing him. Yeldon reaffirmed his commitment to Auburn several times, only to switch to Alabama last month and enroll last week.

As reporters surrounded Yeldon after his Mr. Football win, the conversation quickly turned to a simple question: What caused the change of heart?

"The past two or three years, they've had running backs qualify for the Heisman Trophy," he said. "I mean, Auburn hasn't."

For such a quiet guy, his reasoning sends a strong message: Nothing that happened more than five years ago matters to today's blue-chippers. Bo Jackson might have well played in a leather helmet.

Mark Ingram's Heisman Trophy win in 2009 and Trent Richardson's run as a Heisman finalist in 2011 apparently swayed Yeldon more than anything else.

Ingram and Richardson matter because they've excelled while today's high school seniors have been watching. Yeldon has met them, talked to them, compared himself to them.

Blame YouTube, but no recruiting pitch could replace what Yeldon saw Bama's running backs do every Saturday. What running back wouldn't want to be a Heisman candidate?

"I just had to go to the place that was best for me," Yeldon said. "I felt great at Alabama. I love it up there. I've enrolled in classes. It's pretty fun."

Fans questioned the timing of Yeldon's switch, assuming it was meant to cripple Auburn's recruiting because it happened at the beginning of an NCAA-mandated dead period. That sparked an angry, hateful response on social media.

"There was like a lot of hate stuff going on, but I wasn't tripping," Yeldon said.

Has it changed now that he's enrolled?

"I get a lot of 'Roll Tide,'" he said.

If Yeldon follows in the cleatprints of Ingram and Richardson and makes another run at the Heisman, people will listen to Yeldon more than ever.